Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855Barth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
With regard to the special features of the country, and the topography
of the towns and villages, they will be described in a separate
chapter[59]; here I will only say that the entire population of the
country seems scarcely to exceed a million and a half, and the whole
military force, in the present reduced state of the kingdom, can hardly
be more than 3000 horse, and 10,000 foot, including the Shúwa
population, who surpass the black natives in breeding horses, while the
cavalry of Wádáy may be most correctly estimated at from 5000 to 6000,
and that of Dár-Fúr at more than 10,000. The weapon most in use among
them is the spear (“nyíga”),—the bow (“ká-kesé”) and arrow (“kesé”)
being rare, not only with the inhabitants of Bagírmi Proper, but even
with those of the pagan states to the south. Scarcely a single person
has a shield; and they therefore use only the Kanúri name for this arm,
viz. “ngáwa.” Very few possess the more valuable coat of mail, or
“súllug;” and I scarcely observed a single fire-arm during my stay. But,
on the other hand, almost all the pagan inhabitants of these regions are
armed with that sort of weapon found in so many other countries which we
have touched on our journey, viz. the hand-bill, or, as the Kanúri call
it, the “góliyó” (here called “njíga,” the difference between the name
of this weapon and that of the spear consisting in one single letter).
Very few of the Bagírmi people are wealthy enough to purchase swords
(“káskara”), which they are not able to manufacture themselves; and few
even wear that sort of dagger (“kiyá”) on the left arm, which, in
imitation of the Tawárek, has been introduced into a great part of
Negroland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account